How can you carpe diem?

When I was young, one of my favorite movies was “Dead Poets Society,” the classic coming-of-age story released in 1989 starring Robin Williams. One scene always stuck with me. Robin Williams, the English teacher at an all-boys private high school, told his students to seize each and every opportunity that came their way, especially when they were young. To live life so that you have no regrets about missed opportunities.

That sentiment has always resonated with me, and I think it’s ultimately a big reason why I’ve always said yes when my husband asks if I’m comfortable moving (again). We met in Boston in 2010 and began dating in 2011. Since then, we’ve lived in nine houses or apartments together. Some of the moves were across town, and some were on the other side of the world.  I often feel embarrassed telling family and friends that we’re moving again because I can see in their eyes that they think we’re crazy or that I’m being dragged around against my will. And there are some days that I agree with them, especially when the hassle of arranging an international or cross-country move gets the best of me.

But if I stop and think about all the places we’ve lived and all the countries we’ve explored solely because we took a risk and tried a new adventure, I am forever grateful that we are a family who continually says to each other, “why not? What’s the worst that can happen?”

Some of my best and truest friends have been made over the past dozen years while we have lived in different places. And even casual acquaintances that I’ve had the privilege of living near once upon a time are people I will eagerly meet up with when exploring Europe over the next couple of years. I cannot imagine not having my Philly, Shanghai, Wellesley, or Carlsbad friends in my life, and I truly believe I’ll say the same thing whenever we leave Dublin.

There are a lot of tough adjustments to living life the way we do, but the friendships I’ve made along the way more than make up for it.